QUINTA DO NOVAL VINTAGE PORT NACIONAL 1963 – This is the Vintage Port which most people would like to take to their lonely island. High-scores everywhere and so much life ahead that it almost frightens you: The colour is easily 10-20 years younger of what you would expect. Deep, dark-red colour with lots of reflections. Perfectly balanced bouquet with finesse and intensity. Long and multi-layered aftertaste. Tasted last year at the Quinta. Port-Heaven! 100

When you are fortunate enough to taste nineteen Rousseau Chambertins at one meal, you can be sure you will have some perspective. The range of vintages was 2018 back to 1990 with almost all the most heralded vintages (no 1991), and the one that stood out above the rest was the 2005 Rousseau Chambertin. Make no mistake about it, there were many standouts, but the 2005 hit the highest note. It was deep but more hi-toned than some of its younger brethren, in a bright red way. It has a raspberry, cranberry and citrus mélange. While rich and saucy, it wasn’t like the other saucy vintages as it had more tension and style. This was a wine to restore one’s faith in the often glacial 2005 vintage. It had enough spice to satisfy the entire House of Atreides (99, Paris).

Yalumba The Octavius Shiraz 1988-2020 tasting: 2019 vintage: Medium-deep crimson. Intense dark plum, black cherry, blackberry aromas with praline, vanilla, hint black pepper notes. Generously proportioned wine with superb pure blackberry pastille, cassis sage flavours, fine chocolaty firm tannins and beautiful integrated ginger, roasted chestnut oak. Finishes chocolaty and long. Wonderful follow-up vintage. Drink 2030–2048. 14.5% alc

So, how is the Bordeaux 2024 red vintage? It is better than I expected. Regarding weather challenges, it is similar to 2013, but 2024 was saved by modern technology, the dry and sunny month of August, and a long ripening process. Adjectives such as fresh, elegant, delicate, lively, gentle, and silky characterize most wines. Many wines, especially from properties that couldn't afford treatment costs against mildew, etc., deviate from this description by being over-extracted, green, unripe, and showing dry flavors. In my view, the Right Bank slightly outperforms the Left Bank in terms of wine quality.

Best of the latest Burgundy vintages: The 2023 Musigny from Joseph Drouhin is a wine of rare grace and grandeur — a majestic interpretation of one of Burgundy’s most hallowed terroirs. From the first swirl, the bouquet is utterly enchanting: a symphony of ripe red cherries, wild strawberries, violets, and rose petals, layered with subtle hints of sandalwood, white pepper, and crushed stone.

On the palate, this wine is the very definition of finesse and power in harmony. Silky and seamless, it unfolds in waves of pristine fruit, vibrant acidity, and ultra-fine tannins. There is an almost weightless intensity to its structure, as flavors of red berries, orange zest, Asian spice, and a whisper of earth dance across the tongue with remarkable precision.

The finish is extraordinarily long and poised, echoing with floral and mineral notes that seem to resonate endlessly. Joseph Drouhin’s Musigny 2023 is a tour de force — a wine of noble character, inner luminosity, and profound aging potential. A true jewel of the vintage.